AFTER TWO ROUNDS of games Cork top Division 1, due in no small part to their attacking play and array of scoring options against Kildare yesterday.
John O’Rourke led the way with 0-3 from play, their other five starting forwards hit 0-2 each, and 20-year-old Cathal Vaughan slotted right in when he came off the bench to make his league debut and finished with 0-2 of his own.
With Colm O’Neill back in the panel and on the brink of a comeback, Brian Cuthbert looks to have no shortage of forward options at his disposal.
2. Goal chances key in Omagh
Goals win games, and the old saying held true as Tyrone beat Mayo in Omagh yesterday.
Cathal Carolan and Keith Higgins will know they should have done better with their early goal chances, which yielded just a point apiece, and Mayo were made to rue those misses by the impressive Darren McCurry who finished with 2-4.
McCurry’s second sealed the game, a gem sidefooted into the top corner to put the game out of Mayo’s reach. The youngster, who was brought into the team on that July day in 2012 when they lost against Kerry in Killarney, now looks like a class act Mickey Harte can build his team around.
Mayo, on the other hand, are rooted in the relegation zone.
Advertisement
Aidan O’Shea bursts past Tyrone’s Sean Cavanagh (INPHO/Presseye/Darren Kidd)
3. Kerry feel the heat
Eamonn Fitzmaurice feels his Kerry side have made progress but two games in, they’re still winless and being made to pay for some wasteful shooting.
With Dr Crokes’ crew hoping to keep going all the way to an All-Ireland final on St Patrick’s Day, and Marc Ó Sé and Declan O’Sullivan still on extended breaks, Fitzmaurice needs his current squad to dig themselves out of a tight spot.
The fixture schedule is not easy now as they face a trip to winless Mayo, a side equally desperate for points, before a home game against Tyrone.
4. Monaghan condemn Meath to another hammering
What is it about Monaghan?
Twelve months ago, they gave Meath plenty to think about in a 1-18 to 2-3 shellacking and yesterday they enjoyed the same margin of victory, winning 0-20 to 0-8.
It was a setback for Meath after following up their good form in the O’Byrne Cup by winning a seven-goal thriller against Galway on opening weekend.
Monaghan boss Malachy O’Rourke will find plenty of positives after they squandered a lead to draw against Down last week. Conor McManus was excellent again while Jack McCarron looks to be a useful foil in attack.
5. Portumna’s experience helps them weather the storm
Eleven years after they lost an All-Ireland semi-final against Dunloy, Portumna are back in the St Patrick’s Day decider.
Those 11 years have brought a lot of experience as well as three All-Ireland club hurling titles (2006, 2008 and 2009) and that proved crucial against Na Piarsaigh on Saturday.
They adjusted to the conditions better, won the frees which Joe Canning converted, got a 1-2 haul from youngster Ronan O’Meara, and upped the ante midway through the second half.
Crucially they were able to close out out the game against a young talented Na Piarsaigh side who never replicated their pre-Christmas form.
Richard Coady leads Mount Leinster Rangers’ celebrations (INPHO/Presseye/John McIlwaine)
6. Mount Leinster’s wonderful tale continues
There’s no question of Mount Leinster Rangers being sated by their Leinster glory. The work rate, attitude and spirit that was evident against Oulart-the-Ballagh showed again on Saturday as they held off 2012 champions Loughgiel Shamrocks in Newry.
Denis Murphy’s point-taking was key as he hit 0-11 in a game which was ultimately settled by a single score.
Now MLR are the first Carlow team to contest All-Ireland senior hurling club final and, improbably, are on course for a senior title just two years after winning the intermediate crown. Portumna await.
6 talking points from the weekend's GAA action
1. Cork’s forward options
AFTER TWO ROUNDS of games Cork top Division 1, due in no small part to their attacking play and array of scoring options against Kildare yesterday.
John O’Rourke led the way with 0-3 from play, their other five starting forwards hit 0-2 each, and 20-year-old Cathal Vaughan slotted right in when he came off the bench to make his league debut and finished with 0-2 of his own.
With Colm O’Neill back in the panel and on the brink of a comeback, Brian Cuthbert looks to have no shortage of forward options at his disposal.
2. Goal chances key in Omagh
Goals win games, and the old saying held true as Tyrone beat Mayo in Omagh yesterday.
Cathal Carolan and Keith Higgins will know they should have done better with their early goal chances, which yielded just a point apiece, and Mayo were made to rue those misses by the impressive Darren McCurry who finished with 2-4.
McCurry’s second sealed the game, a gem sidefooted into the top corner to put the game out of Mayo’s reach. The youngster, who was brought into the team on that July day in 2012 when they lost against Kerry in Killarney, now looks like a class act Mickey Harte can build his team around.
Mayo, on the other hand, are rooted in the relegation zone.
Aidan O’Shea bursts past Tyrone’s Sean Cavanagh (INPHO/Presseye/Darren Kidd)
3. Kerry feel the heat
Eamonn Fitzmaurice feels his Kerry side have made progress but two games in, they’re still winless and being made to pay for some wasteful shooting.
With Dr Crokes’ crew hoping to keep going all the way to an All-Ireland final on St Patrick’s Day, and Marc Ó Sé and Declan O’Sullivan still on extended breaks, Fitzmaurice needs his current squad to dig themselves out of a tight spot.
The fixture schedule is not easy now as they face a trip to winless Mayo, a side equally desperate for points, before a home game against Tyrone.
4. Monaghan condemn Meath to another hammering
What is it about Monaghan?
Twelve months ago, they gave Meath plenty to think about in a 1-18 to 2-3 shellacking and yesterday they enjoyed the same margin of victory, winning 0-20 to 0-8.
It was a setback for Meath after following up their good form in the O’Byrne Cup by winning a seven-goal thriller against Galway on opening weekend.
Monaghan boss Malachy O’Rourke will find plenty of positives after they squandered a lead to draw against Down last week. Conor McManus was excellent again while Jack McCarron looks to be a useful foil in attack.
5. Portumna’s experience helps them weather the storm
Eleven years after they lost an All-Ireland semi-final against Dunloy, Portumna are back in the St Patrick’s Day decider.
Those 11 years have brought a lot of experience as well as three All-Ireland club hurling titles (2006, 2008 and 2009) and that proved crucial against Na Piarsaigh on Saturday.
They adjusted to the conditions better, won the frees which Joe Canning converted, got a 1-2 haul from youngster Ronan O’Meara, and upped the ante midway through the second half.
Crucially they were able to close out out the game against a young talented Na Piarsaigh side who never replicated their pre-Christmas form.
Richard Coady leads Mount Leinster Rangers’ celebrations (INPHO/Presseye/John McIlwaine)
6. Mount Leinster’s wonderful tale continues
There’s no question of Mount Leinster Rangers being sated by their Leinster glory. The work rate, attitude and spirit that was evident against Oulart-the-Ballagh showed again on Saturday as they held off 2012 champions Loughgiel Shamrocks in Newry.
Denis Murphy’s point-taking was key as he hit 0-11 in a game which was ultimately settled by a single score.
Now MLR are the first Carlow team to contest All-Ireland senior hurling club final and, improbably, are on course for a senior title just two years after winning the intermediate crown. Portumna await.
– Fintan O’Toole & Niall Kelly
Why is Cork’s football manager so keen to release players for club matches?
16 of the best pics from a busy day of GAA action
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Editor's picks GAA National Football League Review